Dozens of French taxis have been demonstrating since Monday morning at several border posts near Geneva to denounce the application of a rule limiting their travel in Switzerland.
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Since 6.30 am, taxis, VTCs and other carriers have been slowing down the passage of cars going to Switzerland at the border posts of Bardonnex, Vallard and Ferney-Voltaire, Eric Poligot, from the Federation of Independent Taxis of Haute-Savoie, told AFP ( FTI 74), confirming information from the daily Le Dauphiné Libéré.
They protest against the controls of their authorizations to work in Helvetian territory, carried out for about a year by the Swiss authorities under an old rule, rarely verified until then, explains the union.
According to him, a European directive of 2005, relating to the recognition of professional qualifications, indeed authorizes taxis to work a maximum of 90 days per year in Switzerland, with the obligation to declare these days at least eight days in advance.
"
We are not charters
"
The Geneva authorities were not very careful before 2020, assures Eric Poligot.
But in recent months, several of his colleagues who had not registered with the canton were stopped at the border and forced to call a Swiss taxi to continue their clients' journey, most often to the airport. from Geneva, he says.
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“
It's intolerable to tell a customer 'listen, we're changing vehicles'.
We are not charters, we are taxis, we go door to door
", continues Eric Poligot, assuring that he and his colleagues only make cross-border journeys with the Geneva basin, without doing"
cabotage
"in Swiss.
"
Economic stake for Geneva airport
"
In discussions with the Haute-Savoie prefecture for six months to try to find a written arrangement, the union suggests, for example, the use of buttons or technology to streamline border controls.
"
If tomorrow people can no longer come, they will land in Lyon: there is an economic stake for Geneva airport and the canton
", estimates this taxi driver.
The filtering demonstration was to continue throughout the day, with the union due to meet with state services in France in the afternoon.
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For their part, the canton of Geneva "is
surprised by this action (...) knowing that we have in no way changed our practice
", writes Mauro Poggia, elected and head of the Cantonal Department of Security, of the employment and health, in a statement sent to AFP.
He specifies that the eight-day period, "
obviously not possible
", can be legally circumvented by declarations made "
urgently
".
"
I regret that the demonstration was tolerated
"
Mr. Poggia adds that it is a question of federal law with which "
the canton of Geneva has no room for maneuver
", and assures that "
the tacit agreement which would have been found in the past (is) unknown to it.
".
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"
I regret that the demonstration this morning, which created traffic jams at customs, was tolerated by the French authorities,
" he continues, assuring that a similar demonstration on the Swiss side would not have been.
"
If this question must be reviewed, it must be at the federal level, within the framework of the regular discussions which take place with the French authorities
", concludes the elected Geneva.
